Cockburn Sound Regatta hots up on day 2

On day two of the 2011 Cockburn Sound Regatta, there were scores of red faced sailors coming ashore after racing that bore testament to the brutal conditions as light winds and near 40-degree temperatures took their toll.

Brian Todd’s Marten 49 Sue Sea recovered from a threatened protest today by returning to re-round a mark she had left on the wrong hand, to record another fastest time in division 1 and snap up a third place on handicap. Performance handicap honours went to Dieter Strauss, sailing Unhinged, ahead of Rod Mulcahy’s Beneteau 44.7, Slipstream.

Series honours now look to be a tight battle between Sue Sea and Busselton yachtsman Doug Lawler’s Twist and Shout. Sue Sea, sailing with a crew from Walk on the Wild Side, is improving at every outing.

Under IRC, Graeme Monkhouse’s J122 Lithium has been consistent throughout and with three bullets in her scoreline, looks to be headed for overall victory.

Division 2 overall scores are difficult to compare as two boats were moved from other divisions and have average scores yet to be calculated for the races they missed. Ken Stokes’ Farr 9.2 Toravean, which set the early pace for the fleet, was forced back in the finishing order by the newcomers but continued to score well on handicap to vie for the overall trophy with local S80 skipper Russell White sailing D’Boat and Ian Joel’s YW Diamond, Top Shelf, with tomorrow’s final race to decide the outcome.

Division 3 is equally close, with Kevin Ritchie’s Paraway, TCYC Rear Commodore Darren Kearnes’ Start Again and Ernst van Walsum’s sportsboat No Worries all in with a chance.

In the Jib and Main category, Neil Harrison’s one month old Beneteau 35 Deckchairs Overboard looks favoured to win but Graeme Martin’s Sand Crab’s Disco and John Holder’s Plus 16 could cause an upset with a strong performance tomorrow.

Scoring in the four-boat Premier Cruising division is so close that the result is impossible to call so a good race from any of the top three boats will win.

Ben Del Guidici’s Bluestone may pay the price for a lapse in today’s early race, but with four first places to date is clearly the fastest boat in the fleet. Mal Buzza has been very consistent in Buzz Box and is still in a position to challenge.